Bearing assembly



Jan. 22, 1952 L AI MAAS 2,583,382

BEARING ASSEMBLY Filed May l1, 1949 IN V EN TOR.'

LEONHARDA. MS BY .ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1952 ,2,583,3#2 Y eiNG ASSEMBLY Leonhard A. Maas, Trenton. N. J, assigner. te.-The Smith Bearing Company, I,nc. ,()ramga N .J a corporation or New Jersey s Application ll/Iay 11, 1949? Serial lac.` 92,709

:This invention relates :to `.bearing assemblies endis. particularly concerned with. the mounting and support of a self aligning bearing member.

V:While the invention is particularly designed for usevwith needle type roller bearings it will be understood that the inventionv is in no way limited tol such type of bearing. Other types of. roller or ball bearings .may be employed incarrying out theprimary inventive concept and the invention isequally applicableto the mounting. and support 'of plain bearings.

Self aligningfbearingsof the type to Awhicl'rthe present invention `relates are characterized by 'the provisionof a bearing unit having an outer .bearing race with an external spherical surface. .l

The A.unit isgenerally mounted between spaced re- "tainers having conforming 'internally lfacing spherical surfaces which permit at least limited universal movement of the bearing unit to insure 'self alignment of the bearing unit with a shaft...v

or. like element.

Retention of the outer. bearing race of the unit against movement in the direction ofthe axis of .the shaft. has been'eiected. heretofore bythe use of spaced removable retainer rings or annular shims' supported in a bearing housing and presenting inwardlyfacing spherical surfaces. Mulftiplicity of parts is one of the inherent objections to such an assembly. .Each ring must be radially adjustable and, must include suitable securing means for retaining it. 'in adjustedposition. The time and cost of assembly is of course proportionate.. .tothe number of. .raris-A -Such assemblies. .also

require .considerable .machining end-Mishima of parts, since theintertting andv securingof parts .requires an accuracy Abeyond the tolerances achieved by usual casting procedures.

,It is. among the primary objectsof thepresent invention to provide` a bearing assembly, for self .aligninghbearings of the type set forth, having a v '.xn'inimum numbersof partsV and one so construct- ,ed andvarranged as to provide greater easeandrsimplicity of assembly, b oth as tothe parts of the bearing support andv asto the assemblylof `the fbearing unity Within .the support.

.Another. object of the invention is to provide a bearing `assembly embodying partsv Whichmay be fformedinnished.condition by casting without .iefluling any machining or-finishing operations. HIncarrying ,out thisvbjective the present invention provides` 'for 'a minimum of machining or finfiss 'ingoperations Vofother associated parts of the f cl.

`plete assembly. O her objects oithe vinvention include lthat. of 1 eine essere ...with .be

Ahousing. .The seat 24 isV preferablyA of 4*angular v2. claims. (61.398713) ,readily .adjusted .after assembly t0 .eeiiipelieie .,fordwearand to permitrealignment vof the bearing unit. 'lhesame ease of adjustment. e150. P61'- mits facility in disassembly for inspection or sub- .stitutionof thebearing unit.

Numerous other objects and features Vof Jthe present invention will beiapparent from thefollowing. 'Specification taken nconnectionwitn the .accompanying drawing.

" .'Irr the drawing:

Fig. lisa section throughatypieal bearing. as-

.sembly formed in accordance with thepresen' invention, taken on a plane normal tothe axis of the bearing unit; f

' .'Fig. 2 is a section'similar torthat shown inFig. 1 .with :the bearingunit removed:

Fig. 3 is a sectio'ntaken on lined-3,01. Fig.. 2.;

and Figui is an end elevation ofthe bearing assembly of Fig. 1. f

.In "general terms .the .invention may be `described as comprising a' bearing assembly including `a v.housing member and la -pair of removable and adiust'ably mounted semi-circular bearing engaging members carried by said housing and having ,Complementary adapted to receiveand retain therebetween the :Similarly formed outer spherical face of a self inner spherical Y. faces aligning .bearing .unit

, .The beerinahousinaef, thepresent assembly isv indicated. brthenumeral l D and preferably .eastinahavinsa bodyrertion I 2. .with y thick ,terminal end. I4 and an elenwith a transverse circular bore; IB ff,primedwithja centralintermediateannular recessy 2n forming opposite. annular Shoulders.. 22. en either. Side ef the.u recessie Centrally of the .terminal end j I4 the recess Zillisp-rovided'witn a guide seat 2s coniprising la depression extending axially of.the

transverse crossy section, here shown as rectangular asseen by the dotted linesof .Fia 4- VI1i axial alignment with the seat 24 the neck I6 :is providedwitn an internally threaded centrally disposed bore 26 .theV axis of which is in aplane normal tothe plane of the bore. I8 of the body portion I2. e

The retainers for the bearingV member comprise z arciiateJ stirrups 2 8 removably mounted withinthevrecess. 20 of the bore I8. In ,the preferred.forn1of .the invention here shown the stir, ,I 28 `are substantially semicircular i and n are :formed: as identical elements so .that a pair of such.; serrures.. meuniedfwithia the.. ,recess .20 between the shoulders 22 will engage the opposite sides of a bearing to retain such bearing in position. Each arcuate stirrup 28 is of greater radial thickness than the depth of the recess and of transverse width equal to the width of the recess. The stirrups therefore fit snugly within the recess 20 and are held against axial movement with respect to the housing I2. At the same time the inner faces 29 of each stirrup extend into the bore I8 beyond the inner peripheral edges of the shoulders 22 on the house I2. The inner or concave face 29 of each stirrup is circular in both axial and radial directions and the curvature is preferably such that each face defines a portion of a spherical surface. In the final adjustment of the assembly the stirrups are so located as to space the internal faces 29 so that they lie in the same spherical surface, thus to form in combination opposite segments of a spherical annulus. 7

Y Each of the stirrups 28 is further formed-with an externally protruding boss 30 formed of a depth and cross section conforming to that of the seats 24. The boss of the outermost stirrup 28 is mounted within the seat 24 to retain the stirrup against rotational movement in the housing while the boss 38 of the opposite stirrup is located within the bore 26 of the neck I6. The latter stirrup is engaged by. the inner end of the externally threaded securing bolt 32 aujustably mounted within the bore I6 of the body I2. A lock Anut 34 is provided for the bolt 32 to assist in retaining the bolt in adjusted position.

The bearing unit here selected as illustrative -of the type of bearing unit used in the assembly comprises an outer race 36 presenting an inner surface 38 engaged byneedle bearings 4U.' It will be understood that the invention is not concerned with the precise form of the bearing unit and that the unit here shown is merely illustrative. The bearing unit is of the self aligning type and as characteristic of such type of unit the outer surface 42 of the race 3B is formed as an annular fragment of a sphere. The curvature of the outer surface of the outer race 38 is substantially in conformity with the inner configuration of the surfaces 29 of the stirrups 28 so that when the bearing is assembled and retained within the housing the stirrups will engage and embrace opposite sides of the race and thus rey tain the bearing unit against movement in the direction of its axis and the axis of the bore of the housing. As indicated at 44 the inner faces of the stirrups may be grooved to provide for lubrication if desired.

In the use of the present invention it will be seen that the stirrups 28 may be readily assembled within the housing by outwardly adjusting the bolt 32 and slipping any selected pair of identical stirrups within the recess 20 between the shoulders 22. The boss 30 of one of the stirrups is located within the seat 24 while the boss 30 of the opposite stirrup is located within the bore 26 of the neck I6. It will be understood of course that the diameter of the bore I8 exceeds the diameter of the bearing` unit so as to permit the stirrups to be located within the housing with a spacing permitting the bearing to be freely inserted between the stirrups. In this connection it will be noted that the radius of curvature E' of the recess 2G and the conforming outer curvature of the stirrups differs from the radius of 'the outer face of the bearing and the conforming Therefore when the stirrups are adjusted inwardly towards the bearing their inner surfaces will snugly embrace the bearing. It will also be understood that the extent of the shoulders 22 inwardly from the recess will be sufficient to accommodate any such inward adjustment of the stirrups without permitting their dislodgment from the recess and that the lrelationof depth of seat 24 and length boss 30 is likewise suflicient to preclude movement of the head from the seat as a result of such adjustment. With the stirrups located in the manner indicated and with the bolt withdrawn the bearing unit is inserted between the stirrups preferably by .turning the unit to the dotted line position as indicated in Fig. 3. The bearing is then turned to lie in the plane of the stirrups and the bolt 32 is adjusted to apply closing pressure on thev outer stirrup which will thus move towards the bearing unit forcing the bearing against the opposite stirrup and securing the bearings' outer spherical surface within the conforming spherical surfaces of the stirrups.

`It will be noted that the stirrup pieces 28 are identical in form and construction and are mounted for sliding t withiny the housing I2. Therefore the contacting surfaces of the stirrups and body do not require accurate machining .and the parts may be formed as simple castings and close tolerances between the stirrups and the recess of the housing are not required. The only machining operations necessary to produce the assembly are those for forming the inner spherical surfaces 29 of the stirrups and for boring and tapping the neck IB of the body to receive the securing bolt 32. Moreover, in an assembly of the character set forth the nish of the engaging exterior surface of the race 38 0I the bearing unit and the inner spherical surfaces 29 .of the stirrups frequently need not be precise, particularly when the bearing unit is to be fixedly held in place between the companion stirrups duringoperation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and eicient bearing assembly embodying a limited number of parts capable of being economically produced. However, numerous changes 'and modifications may be resorted to without departure from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

I claim:

V1. A bearing assembly comprising a body in the form of a unitary casting having a circular bearing receiving opening therethrough, there being an annular recess extending aboutsaid opening and presenting marginal shoulders at opposite sides thereof, a pair of oppositely facing arcuate bearing retaining members located in said recess and held against twisting or end play with respect to said body by engagement thereof with said shoulders, said bearing retaining members presenting complementary inwardly facing concave spherical surfaces, a bearing unit located between said retaining members and presenting an outer spherical surface complementary therewith, said body having a rod extending therethrough into engagement with one of said retaining members at a point substantially midway between the ends thereof, means for adjusting said rod to move one of the retaining members toward said bearing unit, the other retaining member having an outward- 4ly projecting portion thereon located opposite said rod and engaging a depression in said ,an-

nular recess to prevent arcuate movement of the opposite retaining member.

2. A bearing assembly comprising a body in the form of a unitary casting having a circular bearing receiving opening therethrough, there being an annular recess extending about said opening and presenting marginal shoulders at opposite sides thereof, a pair of oppositely fac ing arcuate bearing retaining members located in said recess and held against twisting or end play with respect to said body by engagement thereof with said shoulders, said retaining members each having an outwardly projecting positioning boss engageable thereon, there being a ,depression in said recess receiving the boss on one of said retaining members and a bore in said body diametrically opposite said depression receiving the boss on the other retaining member, each bearing member' having an inwardly facing concave spherical surface, a roller bearing assembly having an outer race with a convex' spherical surface complementary to the concave spherical surfaces on said retaining members, a rod extending through said bore and engaging the boss of the retaining member adjacent thereto to adjust the position of the retaining member with respect to said bearing assembly, and means for securing said rod in adjusted position in said bore.

LEONHARD A. MAAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Graham Oct. 18, 1932 

